Tag: STEM

Please ensure your MuseLab micro:bit Booster is running Firmware x.1.22 or higher! How to update?

How to use ArcGIS with micro:bit

ArcGIS

ArcGIS

What is ArcGIS?

ArcGIS Online (https://www.arcgis.com/) is an online, collaborative web GIS that allows you to use, create, and share maps data for analytics and visualization. One of the very interesting features of ArcGIS is the ability to collecting live sensor data via its RESTful API and publish data as a visual web layer. Below are the 7 steps needed to add new or update data from MuseLab micro:bit Booster to the ArcGIS system. It is also good to know that there are free trial accounts for anyone. ArcGIS does provide free non-commercial license and discount for schools and developers thereafter. Please contact a local Esri representative for further detail.

What is ArcGIS?

ArcGIS Online (https://www.arcgis.com/) is an online, collaborative web GIS that allows you to use, create, and share maps data for analytics and visualization. One of the very interesting features of ArcGIS is the ability to collecting live sensor data via its RESTful API and publish data as a visual web layer. Below are the 7 steps needed to add new or update data from MuseLab micro:bit Booster to the ArcGIS system. It is also good to know that there are free trial accounts for anyone. ArcGIS does provide free non-commercial license and discount for schools and developers thereafter. Please contact a local Esri representative for further detail.

ArcGIS

ArcGIS

Step 1. Sign Up to ArcGIS

Go to developer.arcgis.com and log in with your ArcGIS Online account.

Enter your name and email address, check the tick box and click the button to request a confirmation email.

Click the email link in the confirmation email in order to start setting up your account.

Step 2. Creating the first layer

Layers are the mechanism used to display geographic datasets in ArcMap, ArcGlobe, and ArcScene. Each layer references a dataset and specifies how that dataset is portrayed using symbols and text labels.

Step 3. 

Step 4. Turn on the MuseLab Wifi IOT Shield. Initialize and connect the WiFi network and start the “remote-controlled”-listening function as below.

Update Feature

Step 5. If you are all set and ready, click the start button. After you have clicked it, “Let’s go” window will be prompted. Confirm that message and a graph will be shown and updated in real-time, while values are read from your WiFi IoT Shield. Every new entry will automatically be given a timestamp, so it is easier to analyse your data later on.

Reminder:

If you have problems receiving the data and Excel throws an error message at you, please make sure that your computer and the WiFi IoT Shield are connected to the same network! For example, if the pc is now connected to the “muselab”, your shield should also connect to “muselab”.

 

If you do not have a WiFi Router or Access Point available, you can perhaps set up your own WiFi Hotspot. Under Windows 10 it is fairly easy, just click on the WiFi symbol and enable the hotspot function.

Repeat steps 3 to 5 if necessary and having fun logging your data!

Update to the newest MuseLab firmware?

Firmware update MuseLab Booster (WiFi IoT Robotic Shield)

Required Hardware

Computer or Laptop

Computer or Laptop

Windows 7, 8 or 10 needed

USB TTL

USB TTL

USB to serial (UART) converter

Connection Wires

Connection Wires

3 Pin Female/Female

Required Software

Driver

CP210x_Windows_Drivers

Updater Tool

NodeMCU-PyFlasher-2.2

Firmware

firmware_v1_43.bin

Download Software Package
File Name: Muse_Firmware_V1_43_toolkit.zip
File type: ZIP
File size: 16 MB

Flashing the firmware

1. Install the driver

  • If your Windows is 64-bit, please install “CP210xVCPInstaller_x64”
  • If your Windows is in 32-bit, please install “CP210xVCPInstaller_x86”

Run the Installer

2. Open the Flashing Tool (NodeMCU-PyFlasher-2.2)

3. Set as below.
a) Select the firmware “firmware_v1_3.bin”
b) Baud rate: 115200
c) Flash mode: DIO
d) Erase flash: yes, wipes all data

4. Connect the shield to the USB TTL.

Shield USB TTL
GND GND
TX RX
RX TX

5. Connect the IoT shield to the battery shield and turn it on. Then, connect the USB TTL to the PC or Laptop.

6. Put the shield to updating mode.

Booster v. 1.4 或較舊版本

Booster v. 1.5 或更新版本

a） 按下 綠色按鈕（按住，不要鬆開）
b） 按下 紅色 按鈕一次，並立即鬆開
c） 釋放 綠色 按鈕

a） 按下 綠色按鈕（按住，不要鬆開）
b） 一 次 按灰色重置按鈕並立即鬆開
c） 釋放 綠色 按鈕

7. Go back to the Flashing Tool and click the refresh button. You will now see a COM port indicated, which is your USB TTL port. In our example it is COM7. (Yours may be different)

8. Click the “Flash NodeMCU” button.

9. You can follow the progress in the console window.

If your IoT shield was flashed with the new firmware successfully, you will see the following message:

“Leaving… Done.”

How to use micro:bit with Cisco Packet Tracer?

How to use Cisco Packet Tracer with micro:bit

What is Cisco Packet Tracer?

Cisco Networking Academy (https://www.netacad.com) is an innovative education initiative that delivers information and communication technology skills to improve career and economic opportunities around the world. There are quite a few of online courses that anyone could enrol, free of charge. All courses are well organized and informative. For the sake of learning IOT, one should learn at least the two courses of Introduction to Packet Tracer (10 hours course) and Introduction to IoT (10 hours).

Cisco Packet Tracer is a free networks simulation software providing visualization for networking. It runs on the Windows/IOS/Android platform. It is developed by the Cisco team for students to practice skills in switching, networking, and the Internet of Things. Packet Tracer has always been used to learn networking skill and simulate IOT projects.

Below are 7 easy steps on how you can connect your physical world sensors and actuators form the Microbit Wifi IOT shield to the virtual world of Packet Tracer and start doing a mixed real world and virtual networks simulation with it.

What is Cisco Packet Tracer?

Cisco Networking Academy (https://www.netacad.com) is an innovative education initiative that delivers information and communication technology skills to improve career and economic opportunities around the world. There are quite a few of online courses that anyone could enrol, free of charge. All courses are well organized and informative. For the sake of learning IOT, one should learn at least the two courses of Introduction to Packet Tracer (10 hours course) and Introduction to IoT (10 hours).

Cisco Packet Tracer is a free networks simulation software providing visualization for networking. It runs on the Windows/IOS/Android platform. It is developed by the Cisco team for students to practice skills in switching, networking, and the Internet of Things. Packet Tracer has always been used to learn networking skill and simulate IOT projects.

Below are 7 easy steps on how you can connect your physical world sensors and actuators form the Microbit Wifi IOT shield to the virtual world of Packet Tracer and start doing a mixed real world and virtual networks simulation with it.

Step 1. Download Cisco Packet Tracer.

You have to create an account, log into the Net Academy and enrol in the Packet Tracer Course in order to get the download link for Packet Tracer. Download Packet Tracer 7.0 or later.

https://www.netacad.com

INSTALL

Step 2. Start Packet Tracer and start a new project.

Step 3. Turn on the MuseLab Wifi IOT Shield. Initialize and connect the WiFi network and start the “remote-controlled”-listening function as below.

Step 4. After the download has completed, start Excel and open the downloaded excel file. Just amend and verify the IP address and the number of times you want to take records.

Step 5. If you are all set and ready, click the start button. After you have clicked it, “Let’s go” window will be prompted. Confirm that message and a graph will be shown and updated in real-time, while values are read from your WiFi IoT Shield. Every new entry will automatically be given a timestamp, so it is easier to analyse your data later on.

Reminder:

If you have problems receiving the data and Excel throws an error message at you, please make sure that your computer and the WiFi IoT Shield are connected to the same network! For example, if the pc is now connected to the “muselab”, your shield should also connect to “muselab”.

 

If you do not have a WiFi Router or Access Point available, you can perhaps set up your own WiFi Hotspot. Under Windows 10 it is fairly easy, just click on the WiFi symbol and enable the hotspot function.

Repeat steps 3 to 5 if necessary and having fun logging your data!

How to store your micro:bit data in Excel?

How to use Excel with micro:bit

What is Excel?

Microsoft Excel is a very popular interactive computer application for analysis and storage of data in tabular form. Users can easily perform basic arithmetic and statistical operation. It would be really handy if we could also log time and data values automatically from micro:bits’ three analog input pins, store them in an Excel Spreadsheet and plot a chart with the data automatically. The Muselab team achieves this by utilizing the powerful macro scripting language of VBA within Excel. We can do the logging task in 5 easy steps.

What is Excel?

Microsoft Excel is a very popular interactive computer application for analysis and storage of data in tabular form. Users can easily perform basic arithmetic and statistical operation. It would be really handy if we could also log time and data values automatically from micro:bits’ three analog input pins, store them in an Excel Spreadsheet and plot a chart with the data automatically. The Muselab team achieves this by utilizing the powerful macro scripting language of VBA within Excel. We can do the logging task in 5 easy steps.

Step 1. First you have to set up your network connection on the MuseLab micro:bit Booster. If you have already done so, please continue with “Step 2”, otherwise click below link and follow the instructions.

How to connect micro:bit to the internet

Step 2. We need to turn on the WiFi remote control function so that the WiFi IoT Shield is open for control* (or access). Otherwise, we won’t be able to receive the data externally. In this example, we will use the “on button A pressed”-listener to start the remote control as shown below:

After the shield has been connected to the Internet:

Press the button A on the micro:bit, and you will get the below feedback message on the OLED screen:

The “Start listen OK” means that your  MuseLab micro:bit Booster can now be controlled by externally!

* In technical terms, the MuseLab micro:bit Booster starts a web server (port 80) for other devices to access its functions via HTTP requests.

Step 3. We can now get data into MS Excel by using VBA script! For an easy dive into this subject, you can download our excel template to try getting your data!

Step 4. After the download has completed, start Excel and open the downloaded excel file. Just amend and verify the IP address and the number of times you want to take records.

Step 5. If you are all set and ready, click the start button. After you have clicked it, “Let’s go” window will be prompted. Confirm that message and a graph will be shown and updated in real-time, while values are read from your WiFi IoT Shield. Every new entry will automatically be given a timestamp, so it is easier to analyse your data later on.

Reminder:

If you have problems receiving the data and Excel throws an error message at you, please make sure that your computer and the MuseLab micro:bit Booster are connected to the same network! For example, if the pc is now connected to the “muselab”, your shield should also connect to “muselab”.

If you do not have a WiFi Router or Access Point available, you can perhaps set up your own WiFi Hotspot. Under Windows 10 it is fairly easy, just click on the WiFi symbol and enable the hotspot function.

Repeat steps 3 to 5 if necessary and having fun logging your data!

How to build a crane?

Crane

Crane

Facts about cranes:

A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with ropes, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It is mainly used for lifting heavy things and transporting them to other places that otherwise are difficult to reach.

Today we are going to build a simple crane that can be controlled remotely by two dimmers. A Dimmer is technically a potentiometer with variable resistance. The first dimmer will control the height of the load and the second dimmer will control the directional movement of the load.

When we turn the dimmer from far left to far right it will change the dimmers’ value from 0 to 1024.

So, we divide the range into three parts
   [0 342],   [343 682]    and    [683 1024] 
and assigning the action of moving [left], [stop] and moving [right] to the above value ranges, i.e. when the values from the first dimmer is less than 342, the crane moves backwards and when the value of the first dimmer goes beyond 683, the crane moves forwards and stops for any value that lies in between. Likewise, when the reading from the second dimmer is less than 342, the crane moves upwards. When the reading is larger than 683, it moves downwards, and for any value that lies in between, the crane stops.

We could build and code the crane with the above logic by following five easy steps below.

Facts about cranes:

A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with ropes, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It is mainly used for lifting heavy things and transporting them to other places that otherwise are difficult to reach.

Today we are going to build a simple crane that can be controlled remotely by two dimmers. A Dimmer is technically a potentiometer with variable resistance. The first dimmer will control the height of the load and the second dimmer will control the directional movement of the load.

When we turn the dimmer from far left to far right it will change the dimmers’ value from 0 to 1024.

So, we divide the range into three parts
   [0 342],   [343 682]    and    [683 1024] 
and assigning the action of moving [left], [stop] and moving [right] to the above value ranges, i.e. when the values from the first dimmer is less than 342, the crane moves backwards and when the value of the first dimmer goes beyond 683, the crane moves forwards and stops for any value that lies in between. Likewise, when the reading from the second dimmer is less than 342, the crane moves upwards. When the reading is larger than 683, it moves downwards, and for any value that lies in between, the crane stops.

We could build and code the crane with the above logic by following five easy steps below.

Step 1. Technical knowledge: (review from previous lesson No. 6)

Get to know your servo motor. 360° servo motor vs 180°servo motor;

One of the major components we needed to build a crane is an engine, in our case a 360° servo motor. There are two types of servo motors, a 180° servo motor and a 360° server motor. A 180 ° servo motor is a geared motor that can be controlled precisely to a specific position within a range of 0° to 180 ° and can maintain a particular position until it is instructed to move to another position. On the other hand, a 360° server motor can rotate continuously but not stay in a particular angle, but we can control the speed instead.

Both types of servo motors are controlled by electrical pulses. Those pulses are signals that will turn on and off very quickly. Typically, a servo motor needs to get 50 signals per second (50Hz) or 1 signal every 0.2 seconds (20 milliseconds) respectively, whereby the signal length (pulse) itself is only between 1 to 2 milliseconds long. The length of this signal determines the turning degree or speed of the servo motor. The technical term for this method is Pulse Width Modulation (PWM).

Both 360° servo and the 180° servo are identical in size an look, but there is an opening for accessing the fine-tuning screw underneath the 360° servo motor. This fine-tuning screw is used when the motor does not stop completely at the stop command or 90-degree command. Turning it a little bit to the left or right would stop the motor completely.

Step 2. PWM with micro:bit:

In order to send “Pulses” to the servo motor using the micro:bit, we could go to the “Pins” tab under the “Advanced” tab or use the servo blocks under the “MuseRobotic” tab. If you cannot find the “MuseRobotic” tab, you could install the tab following the instruction in step 2  from following link: https://muselab.cc/2018/03/15/how-to-connect-microbit-to-the-internet/

This command block is mainly used for 180° servos.

Alternatively we can also use:

We can find servo command blocks for both 180° and 360° servo motor.

Note: In order to maximize the functionality of your Muselab micro:bit Booster, it should be initialized as follow:

Step 3. Build the crane.

Below we are using the Muse Crane of the Muse Mechanical Set I (3in1)

  • Step 01

    Step 01

  • Step 02

    Step 02

  • Step 03

    Step 03

  • Step 04

    Step 04

  • Step 05 (a)

    Step 05 (a)

  • Step 05 (b)

    Step 05 (b)

  • Step 06

    Step 06

  • Step 07

    Step 07

  • Step 08

    Step 08

  • Step 09

    Step 09

  • Step 10

    Step 10

  • Step 11

    Step 11

  • Step 12

    Step 12

  • Step 13

    Step 13

  • Step 14

    Step 14

  • Step 15

    Step 15

  • Step 16

    Step 16

  • Step 17

    Step 17

  • Step 18

    Step 18

  • Step 19

    Step 19

  • Step 20

    Step 20

  • Step 21

    Step 21

  • Step 22

    Step 22

  • Step 23

    Step 23

  • Step 24

    Step 24

  • Step 25

    Step 25

  • Step 26

    Step 26

Step 4. Build the remote control

Step 1

Step 1

Step 2

Step 2

Step 3

Step 3

Step 4

Step 4

Step 5

Step 5

Step 6

Step 6

Step 5. Write the code!

For this code example we are using the fastest and easiest way. Please connect your dimmer and servo motors as shown below:

Dimmer 1  P0, Servo 1  P1, Dimmer 2  P2 & Servo 21  P12.
Please note that P12 is output only, for why you must attach one of the servo motors to it, because it is not able to read the value from your dimmer!

Code to control servo 1:

 

Code to control servo 2:

By now, you should be already quite familiar with the micro:bit PXT editor. Your challenge now is to find the correct blocks in the sidebar , to reconstruct the code. (HINT: Have a closer look on the colours of the blocks shown in the pictures!)

Now it’s time for practice. Enjoy your crane!

How to build a windmill?

Old windmill in Holland

Old windmill in Holland

Facts about windmills:

A windmill is an engine powered by wind. In the past, it was used to pump water or to mill grains, for example, to make flour. Nowadays windmills are used to generate electricity and are technically called wind turbines.

Basically, the bigger the windmill, the more electricity could be generated, that’s because a larger rotor blade can harvest more energy from the wind.

Sidenote: The fix costs for making and installing a windmill, e.g. like building the servicing roads or buying the land property, are very similar for both big and small windmills. Generally, bigger windmills always yield a better return on investment to the owners.

Facts about windmills:

A windmill is an engine powered by wind. In the past, it was used to pump water or to mill grains, for example, to make flour. Nowadays windmills are used to generate electricity and are technically called wind turbines.

Basically, the bigger the windmill, the more electricity could be generated, that’s because a larger rotor blade can harvest more energy from the wind.

Sidenote: The fix costs for making and installing a windmill, e.g. like building the servicing roads or buying the land property, are very similar for both big and small windmills. Generally, bigger windmills always yield a better return on investment to the owners.

Old windmill in Holland

Old windmill in Holland

Wind turbine generating electricity in Holland

Wind turbine generating electricity in Holland

Step 1. Technical knowledge:

Get to know your servo motor. 360° servo motor vs 180°servo motor;

One of the major components we needed to build a windmill is an engine, in our case a 360° servo motor. There are two types of servo motors, a 180° servo motor and a 360° server motor. A 180 ° servo motor is a geared motor that can be controlled precisely to a specific position within a range of 0° to 180 ° and can maintain a particular position until it is instructed to move to another position. On the other hand, a 360° server motor can rotate continuously but not stay in a particular angle, but we can control the speed instead.

Both types of servo motors are controlled by electrical pulses. Those pulses are signals that will turn on and off very quickly. Typically, a servo motor needs to get 50 signals per second (50Hz) or 1 signal every 0.2 seconds (20 milliseconds) respectively, whereby the signal length (pulse) itself is only between 1 to 2 milliseconds long. The length of this signal determines the turning degree or speed of the servo motor. The technical term for this method is Pulse Width Modulation (PWM).

Both 360° servo and the 180° servo are identical in size an look, but there is an opening for accessing the fine-tuning screw underneath the 360° servo motor. This fine-tuning screw is used when the motor does not stop completely at the stop command or 90-degree command. Turning it a little bit to the left or right would stop the motor completely.

Step 2. PWM with micro:bit:

In order to send “Pulses” to the servo motor using the micro:bit, we could go to the “Pins” tab under the “Advanced” tab or use the servo blocks under the “MuseRobotic” tab. If you cannot find the “MuseRobotic” tab, you could install the tab following the instruction in step 2  from following link: https://muselab.cc/2018/03/15/how-to-connect-microbit-to-the-internet/

This command block is mainly used for 180° servos.

Alternatively we can also use:

We can find servo command blocks for both 180° and 360° servo motor.

Note: In order to maximize the functionality of your MuseLab micro:bit Booster, it should be initialized as follow:

Step 3. Build the windmill.

Below we are using the Muse Windmill of the Muse Mechanical Set I (3in1)

Step 1

Step 1

Step 2

Step 2

Step 3

Step 3

Step 4

Step 4

Step 5

Step 5

Step 6

Step 6

Step 7

Step 7

Step 8

Step 8

Complete

Complete

Step 4. Write the code!

Below are 3 examples of how the windmill servo can be controlled using different code blocks.

Now, be creative and integrate some variations in your code or your windmill build!

How to build a traffic light?

Facts about traffic lights:

The world’s first traffic light was a gas-based traffic light, installed in London in December 1868. Sadly, it exploded less than a month after it was implemented, injuring the policeman that operated the traffic light. Earnest Sirrine from Chicago patented the first automated traffic control system in 1910. It used the words “STOP” and “PROCEED”, although neither of the words lit up.

Facts about traffic lights:

The world’s first traffic light was a gas-based traffic light, installed in London in December 1868. Sadly, it exploded less than a month after it was implemented, injuring the policeman that operated the traffic light. Earnest Sirrine from Chicago patented the first automated traffic control system in 1910. It used the words “STOP” and “PROCEED”, although neither of the words lit up.

The world’s first electric traffic signal was put in place on the corner of Euclid Avenue and East 105th Street in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1914.

Traffic lights alternate the right of way accorded to users by displaying lights of a standard colour (red, amber (yellow), and green) following a universal colour code (also referred to signal colours).

In the typical sequence of colour phases: The green light allows traffic to proceed in the direction denoted if it is safe to do so and there is room on the other side of the intersection. The amber (yellow) light warns that the signal is about to change to red. And a red light indicates all must stop.

In a smart city, traffic lights can do much more than only controlling the traffic in a fixed manner. Since there are so many traffic lights in a city, and each of them is provided electrical power while mostly being installed high above the ground, it can also act as data collection points. Video camera and sensors could be installed to see if there are too many people or cars waiting for a signal to change and adjust the signal accordingly. The speed of vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists can also be collected and stored in the cloud for further analysis and future city planning. The connected traffic lights could talk to each other to cooperate together to make the traffic run smoother and faster, according to the current demand. This form of a traffic light backend system is called Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) and requires a central Traffic Management Center (TMC) to control it.

How to build a simple traffic light with MuseLab micro:bit Booster:

Step 1. Install the red, yellow and green LED on Pin 0, Pin 1, Pin 2 of the Shield respectively.

Step 2. Watch the video clip below and record the signal pattern.

Step 3. Write down the time interval of the traffic light in the table below

Time (s) Red Yellow Green
0-5
5-10
10-15
15-20
20-25
25-30
30-35
35-40
40-45
45-50
50-55
55-60
60-65
65-70
70-75
75-80
80-85
85-90
90-95
95-100
100-105
105-110
110-115
115-120
120-125
125-130
130-135
135-140
140-145
140-145

Step 4. Build the traffic light.

Below we are using the Muse Traffic Light of the Muse Mechanical Set I (3in1)

Step 1

Step 1

Step 2

Step 2

Step 3

Step 3

Step 4

Step 4

Step 5

Step 5

Step 6

Step 6

Step 7

Step 7

Step 8

Step 8

Complete

Complete

Step 5. Write the code!

Use the forever blocks to repeat the steps. Use the pause block  to wait where ms means 1/1000 of a second. Use digital write pin block   to turn on or off a certain pin by assign value of 1 and 0. A typical Hong Kong traffic light logic would be similar to the below example.

 

Let’s start making your own traffic light now, Enjoy!

Some inspirations: Why not adding a button to let pedestrians cross the street!?

How to use ThingSpeak with micro:bit

What is ThingSpeak?

ThingSpeak is an IoT analytics platform service that allows one to collect, visualize and analyze live data streams in the cloud. It provides instant visualizations of data from your micro:bit posted via the MuseLab micro:bit Booster. The MuseLab micro:bit Booster and the ThingSpeak platform often work together for prototyping and proof of concept IoT systems that require analytics.

Below are the steps required to start using your micro:bit with ThingSpeak.

What is ThingSpeak?

ThingSpeak is an IoT analytics platform service that allows one to collect, visualize and analyze live data streams in the cloud. It provides instant visualizations of data from your micro:bit posted via the MuseLab micro:bit Booster. The MuseLab micro:bit Booster and the ThingSpeak platform often work together for prototyping and proof of concept IoT systems that require analytics.

Below are the steps required to start using your micro:bit with ThingSpeak.

Step 1. As always, we first set up the network connection on the MuseLab WiFi micro:bit Booster. If you have already done so, please continue with “Step 2”, otherwise click the below link and follow the instructions.

How to connect micro:bit to the internet

Step 2. Next, we will have to create an account on the ThingSpeak platform.

Go to ThingSpeak at https://thingspeak.com and signup.

Step 3. After signing in, Click “New Channel”.

Step 4. Now we have to define the name for our new channel and the name of the data we want to submit. We can set up to 4 different fields to receive values.

Step 5. To submit data to the ThingSpeak cloud and assign them to a specific field, we have to go to the “Data Import/Export” section and copy our API Key link.

By taking a closer look at the API link, we will see that we are submitting an “update event”, followed by the API Key (api_key=”************”) and data with the value of “Zero” assigned to field1.

Step 6. Whether or we have set up everything correctly, we can test by pasting our API link directly into the web browser address bar and trigger the data update event. New data should be shown in our ThingSpeak chart view.

Step 7. Now it’s finally time to equip our micro:bit with the new features. The MuseLab IoT package, available in the micro:bit PXT editor, offers predefined blocks for ThingSpeak. Just copy the API Key (NOT the link from before!) from the ThingSpeak website and paste it into the block.

Use a string block to enter your API key.

Step 8. Whenever the code block is executed,  we will see a notification about the progress on the display of the MuseLab micro:bit Booster. Likewise, we will see our chart on the ThingSpeak platform updating.

Here is an easy challenge: have a guess what the below code block is doing?!

Please enjoy analyzing your data on  ThingSpeak!

How to use IFTTT with micro:bit

What is IFTTT?

IFTTT is a very useful “glue” services that helps us to connect to different Internet services. For example, we can glue the Facebook service to our mobile phone’s camera application so that whenever there is a new photo taken, the photo would be uploaded to Facebook automatically, creating a new post. The name IFTTT in fact is the abbreviation of “If This Then That” which is one of the most common logics used in every programming language. The IFTTT back-end connects different services and devices by using their own API (application programming interface), offering a very intuitive and straight forward trigger and action logic.

What is IFTTT?

IFTTT is a very useful “glue” services that helps us to connect to different Internet services. For example, we can glue the Facebook service to our mobile phone’s camera application so that whenever there is a new photo taken, the photo would be uploaded to Facebook automatically, creating a new post. The name IFTTT in fact is the abbreviation of “If This Then That” which is one of the most common logics used in every programming language. The IFTTT back-end connects different services and devices by using their own API (application programming interface), offering a very intuitive and straight forward trigger and action logic.

Due to IFTTT’s easy-to-use web service, it has gained huge popularity and is often considered a must-learn feature as the first entry point into the world of IoT. It is equal to the “Hello world” of programming for IoT beginners.

The MuseLab micro:bit Booster works directly with the IFTTT services. MuseLab has developed some very simple to use blocks within the mirco:bit PXT “make code” web page (https://makecode.microbit.org/). Below are the basic steps on how to connect your micro:bit to IFTTT using the MuseLab micro:bit Booster.

Step 1. First you have to set up your network connection on the MuseLab micro:bit Booster. If you have already done so, please continue with “Step 2”, otherwise click below link and follow the instructions.

How to connect micro:bit to the internet

Step 2. Then you have to create an IFTTT account, if you haven’t done it yet.

Go to IFTTT at http://www.ifttt.com and signup.

Step 3. After signing in, Click “New Applet” at the right upper corner.

Step 4. To create a new applet, there are 2 things we need to set, which are “This” and “That” for IFTTT (If This Then That). Click on “This”

Step 5. For the service on “This”, we search and select “Webhooks”. “Webhooks” is an event and we need to set an event name to it . Let’s set the Webhooks event name to be “fire_accident” and click ”Create trigger”.

Step 6. After that, we set the “That”. We click “That”

Step 7. Now we will choose Gmail as an performing service when the “fire_accident” is triggered. From the next selection, action of choice is “send yourself an email“.

Quick review:

Let’s have a look what we did: If the fire_event happened, then trigger Gmail.

Of course, you can set different event and use different cloud services as you like!

Step 8. Now we need to get the API Key for our IFTTT account. Go to the upper menu and click “Search”, search for “Webhooks” and select it.

Step 9. You can see “Documentation” on upper right corner, click it!

Step 10. Now copy your personal API Key. Keep it confidential!

Step 11. Go back to the micro:bit block editor page. Get the “on button A pressed”-listener, find the Send IFTTT block from MuseIoT. Paste the key you have just copied from step 10. And type the event name you have just created in your IFTTT.

Make sure everything matches correctly!

* Be aware that no spaces (at the beginning and the end) of your copied IFTTT API Key.

** Be aware that the event_name is case-sensitive (capital letter or small letter must be the same). You can go to “My applets” to see if you not sure.

The full initialize script would be as follow:
After the shield has been connected to the Internet:
Press the button A on the micro:bit, you will get the below message on the screen:
Go to the email box and check email, you got the email!

Please enjoy discovering the amazing possibilities of IFTTT to create your own fantastic IoT projects!

Understanding Sensors How to connect them?

40 years ago, the sensors are something that is very expensive and comes with only a limited variety. But with the advance of semiconductor technology, sensors are getting cheaper and smaller in size. The prices drop even more tremendously with the mobile phone bloom from the 90s. Hundreds of millions of mobile phones have been made every year. Every generation of new phone needs sensors that are even smaller, more sensitive, cheaper and with more functions. Gyroscope and acceleration meter in the size of a piece of wheat is something not imaginable before. We call all these sensors the MEMS sensors or the NEMS sensors, the acronyms of Microelectromechanical systems and nanoelectromechanical systems.

40 years ago, the sensors are something that is very expensive and comes with only a limited variety. But with the advance of semiconductor technology, sensors are getting cheaper and smaller in size. The prices drop even more tremendously with the mobile phone bloom from the 90s. Hundreds of millions of mobile phones have been made every year. Every generation of new phone needs sensors that are even smaller, more sensitive, cheaper and with more functions. Gyroscope and acceleration meter in the size of a piece of wheat is something not imaginable before. We call all these sensors the MEMS sensors or the NEMS sensors, the acronyms of Microelectromechanical systems and nanoelectromechanical systems.

Although there are many ways to work with the sensors, the easiest way is to use the analog SVG system. SVG is the short form of Signal, Voltage, and Ground. Usually one has to apply 3.3v or 5v to the voltage pin and the ground pin and a corresponding voltage (from 0 volt to “V” volt) can be detected from the “S” signal pin depends on the environmental value like brightness, temperature or humidity etc. For the Microbit system, voltage up to 3.3v can be accepted. Other systems like Arduino or Raspberry Pi would have different acceptable voltage. The process to map the sensor reading to actual standard value is called calibration. We are going to discuss how to calibrate different sensors in the next article.

The Muselab sensor system uses symbols to illustrate SVG pin for the purpose of easy understanding.

A dialog box is used for “S", thesignal pin.
A plus symbol is used for the positive voltage pin.
A minus symbol is used for the ground pin.
The green color and double square wave symbols ⎍⎍ indicate that it is a digital sensor or actuator.
The red color and the double sinus curve symbol ∿∿ indicates that it is an analog sensor or actuator.
An upwards triangle with a stroke underneath △ indicates that it is an output actuator.
A downwards triangle with a stroke underneath ▽ indicates that it is an input sensor.
The single dot next to the plus symbol indicates a voltage of +3.3V.
The double dots next to the plus symbol indicates a voltage of +5V.
The triple dots next to the plus symbol indicates a voltage of +7.4V.
The clock symbol indicates the clock signal, e.g. in the I²C system
The music note symbol indicates that this pin can output music via loudspeaker and active buzzers.

The standardized MuseLab Pin Layout makes it easy to use our sensors. It is plug and play!

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